Sarah Holman's Blog, page 101

NaNo Update: Video!

Adventure Between the Pages: You'll Get Through This by Max Lucado

Age Appropriate For: Ages 13 and up (some of the stories shared)
Best for Ages: 15 and up
Description: You fear you won't make it through. We all do. We fear that the depression will never lift, the yelling will never stop, the pain will never leave. In the pits, surrounded by steep walls and aching reminders, we wonder: Will this gray sky ever brighten? This load ever lighten? In" You'll Get Through This," pastor and" New York Times" best-selling author, Max Lucado offers sweet assurance. "Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere." Max reminds readers God doesn't promise that getting through trials will be quick or painless. It wasn't for Joseph--tossed in a pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, wrongfully imprisoned, forgotten and dismissed--but his Old Testament story is in the Bible for this reason: to teach us to trust God to trump evil. With the compassion of a pastor, the heart of a storyteller, and the joy of one who has seen what God can do, Max explores the story of Joseph and the truth of Genesis 50:20. What Satan intends for evil, God redeems for good.
This year has been a rough one for me spiritually. There have been many ups and downs, many moments of doubt and fear. I have struggled physically and emotionally, and had to make some heard decisions. This book helped me though this last week and reminded me that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Max Lucado has always been one of my favorite spiritual authors. He doesn’t take me on guilt trips, beat me over the head with the Bible, nor are his books simply warm and fuzzy. They are soothing and convicting, gentle and persuasive, inspiring without the guilt trip. Every time I read his books, my faith is strengthened and I am challenged. This book was no exception.
I wish I could have a couple dozen copies of this book to giveaway. If you are going through a hard time, big or small, this book is a wonderful and powerful reminder. We will get through this and we are not alone. Lucado shares stories both his own and others that are so encouraging. I found myself holding his book in one hand and my Bible in the other to read the passages of scripture that he quotes.
If you are in need of some encouragement and support through a rough patch, I highly recommend You’ll Get Through This.Was this helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson through BookSneezein exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Writing Saturday: A Bit of Inspiration #12

Sometimes we need to be reminded of our faith to encourage us to keep writing.

My Theme verse

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:19- 21 NIV

I was busy writing and this verse came to mind. It is now the theme verse for my book.

There also lived a beautiful girl....

Selah Harrrison
\Not my Image. Source 
Selah is an indentured servant who works in one of Boston's fine taverns.

There lived a Young Man named...

William Landoor
Not my Image. Source
Meet my main character, William Landoor. Son of a loyal British merchant. 

Adventure Between the Pages: Martyr's Fire by Sigmund Brouwer

Age Appropriate For: 10 + for violence, Druids, and mild romanceBest for Ages: 10 - 18
Description: Will this dangerous quest lead the outcast Orphan King toward an ancient secret—or to certain destruction? Posing as a beggar, Thomas escapes Magnus after fifteen men, who are calling themselves the Priests of the Holy Grail, arrive and take control of the castle through wondrous acts and apparent miracles. With the help of his longtime friend Gervaise, Thomas sets out on a journey that leads him to the ancient Holy Land. Unaware that Katherine and Hawkwood are watching over him, Thomas is tested in his beliefs and comes face to face with the ancient power that the Merlins and Druids have long been searching for.
I have been snapping up this series to review as each book has come out. Set in my favorite time period (the Middle Ages), and full of nonstop adventure, how could I help but love it. On a lazy Sunday afternoon I picked up this book to read and finished it in a day.
Again I was plunged into the battle of good versus evil in Magnus. The young ruler, Thomas has new enemies, the Priests of the Holy Grail, who are not all the appear to be. Thomas is forced to flee Magnus and look for answers to questions that have been plaguing him since book one.
About half-way through this book, I wanted to scream. To be honest, it was getting really old that nobody was trusting anybody and secrets are kept secrets from the reader. That was great in the first book, okay in the second, but by the third book, I wanted answers and some trust. Thankfully, much is revealed by the end of the book so I didn’t need to scream.
The action and adventure were even better in this book then the last one. Thomas escape from Magnus and his leap of faith (you have to read the book to understand what that means) was so amazing! Sigmund Brouwer is that master of action for young adults.
I still feel that this book was a little long in places. Towards the end, it felt a bit repetitive. Like, yet again Thomas does something daring, something goes wrong, someone comes to the rescue. There is a limit to how many times this can be used before it becomes tedious.
I highly recommend this book and series for boys, and girls, who love adventure stories, the Middle Ages, and nonstop adventure.
Was this helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon and like it on Goodreads.

I received this book from WaterBrook Press in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Working Title Revealed

The working title for my story is...
A Different Kind of Courage
We shall see if the title fits the story when I am finished.

Covers revealed

Look at what an amazing job Jessica Greyson did with the cover for Adventures and Adversities
Synopsis: One day Alditha is content living with her family, the next she is taking her friends place to serve at the king’s castle. Her father's final instructions, to keep smiling and to do what is right, will be harder to live out then she ever imagined. She will face a royal nephew who delights in making people miserable, an angry servant girl that will stop at nothing to get what she wants, and noblemen who plot murder. Will she be able to keep the promise she made to her father? Will she find the faith she longs for during all her Adventures and Adversities?
I myself am very excited about Jessica Greyson's newest book!


Synopsis: The troubled people of war-torn Chambria are on the brink of starvation, and a delicate princess with a recurring nightmare is their only hope. Alexandra knows that her value to her country consists mainly in her ability to marry well, but when she is kidnapped by the rebels and taken to meet the man claiming to be both Chambria's true king and her real father, her entire world falls apart. Will Princess Alexandra be able to untangle the web of lies and discern who is the true king and her father?

Long, long ago....

So, it has begun, and as I promised, I will begin to reveal bits of my project all through the month.
This is me with a book my mom got for me because I really, REALLY wanted it for my research.
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